Awoken heart has started to run, in order to draw the futureEven if I come to a standstill on a difficult roadThe sky is always waiting for me in a beautiful blueSo I'm not scaredBy now, no matter what happens, I won't get disheartened

Awoken heart has started to run, in order to draw the futureEven if I come to a standstill on a difficult roadThe sky is always waiting for me in a beautiful blueSo I'm not scaredBy now, no matter what happens, I won't get disheartened

振り返れば仲間がいて 気がつけば優しく包まれてた

Furikaereba nakama ga ite Ki ga tsukeba yasashiku tsutsumareteta

When I look back, I had friends When I noticed it, I was gently embraced

I won't forget the promise we madeI'll close my eyes and ascertain itShaking off the darkness that closed in on me, I advance onBecause no matter how great of a wall there isI'll show you I'll overcome it, so I'll certainlybelieve in tomorrow and pray

My heart awoke to draw the future where I'd start runningEven if I come to a standstill on a difficult roadThe sky is always waiting for me in a beautiful blueSo I'm not scaredBy now, no matter what happens, I won't get disheartened

ずっと明日待って

Zutto ashita matte

Forever waiting for tomorrow

Observations and speculations

In Episode 10, the almost unaltered opening animation and song is used as the ending theme (with that episode having no opening sequence).

Given the events in that episode, it is very likely that the lyrics are actually written from Homura's perspective, as she's in a time loop, trying to protect Madoka and fulfill a promise made with her that she'll prevent Madoka from becoming a Puella Magi.

It is possible that the sequences/events portrayed in the Connect anime opening may have been from the very first timeline in which Homura was the shy transfer student with Madoka as the original magical girl. Evidence to support this includes Madoka holding up a black cat near the end, which in the first drama CD reveals that Madoka originally saved the black cat from being killed by a car (through a wish, of course).

Trivia

Kaori Mizuhashi (Mami) wanted to see the cute things like the afro, the cute scenes, and the fluffy stuff in the anime: "When will those kind of scenes come?"

Aoi Yuuki (Madoka) wanted to see the underwear scene to be included as well.

Chiwa Saito (Homura) on the OP with the two Madoka henshin: "The part with the highest number of happy dream is right here!"